Refrigerator safety device



June 30, 1959 'w. HIMMLIEIR 2,892,425-

7 REFRIGERATOR SAFE'I Y DEVICE Filed NOV 19, 1956 Fig./

Wesley Himmler IN VEN TOR.

BY M /-95 United States Patent REFRIGERATOR SAFETY DEVICE Wesley Himmler, Dallas, Pa.

Application November 19, 1956, Serial No. 622,889

1 Claim. (Cl. 109-635) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in refrigerators particularly of the domestic or household type and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for positively preventing the closing and locking of the doors of such refrigerators while they may be occupied, for example, by children.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a refrigerator safety device of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a refrigerator comprising a safety device embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section through the refrigerator; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character 4 designates generally the lower portion of a refrigerator cabinet which is open at its front and provided with the usual hinged door 5. The cabinet 4 rises from the forwardly projecting base 6, said cabinet including side walls 7, a back 8 and a bottom 9.

Mounted in the lower portion of the cabinet 4 is a depressible platform 10 of suitable material. As shown to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawing, the platform 10 is substantially rectangular. Bolts 11 depend from the corner portions of the platform 10, said bolts passing slidably through openings 12 which are provided therefor in the bottom 9 of the cabinet 4. Nuts 13 are threaded on the lower end portions of the bolts 11 for engagement beneath the bottom 9 of the cabinet 4 for positively limiting upward movement of the platform 10. Coil springs 14 encircle the bolts 11 and yieldingly support the platform 10 in the cabinet 4, said springs resting on the bottom 9 of said cabinet. Stops 15 in the lower portion of the cabinet 4 limit the downward movement of the platform 10 against the tension of the springs 14.

Mounted in the base 6 beneath the cabinet bottom 9 is a post 16. A lever 17 is pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the post 16 for swinging movement in a vertical plane. Threadedly mounted for vertical adjustment on one end portion of the lever 17 is a rod 18. The lower end of the rod 18 is headed to facilitate adjustment. The rod 18 extends slidably through an opening 19 which is provided therefor in the cabinet bottom 9 and is engaged beneath the platform 10 for operatively connecting said platform to the lever 17.

Pivotally mounted on the other end portion of the lever 17 is a stop pin 20. The pin 20 is slidable through an opening 21 which is provided therefor in the top 22 of the forwardly projecting portion of the base 6. When in raised or operative position, the pin 20 is in the path of the door 5.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the coil springs 14 are sufiiciently stiff to support the platform 10 in elevated position under the weight of articles which are ordinarily placed in a refrigerator. However, should a child enter the refrigerator its weight Will be sufiicient to depress the platform 10 against the tension of the springs 14. Thus, through the medium of the rod 18 the lever 17 will be actuated to elevate the stop pin 20 to operative position in the path of the door 5 thereby positively preventing said door from closing and latching, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. When the child leaves the refrigerator the platform 10 is returned to its elevated position by the springs 14. A suitable return spring 23 is connected to the lever 17 for lowering the stop pin 20 and maintaining the rod 18 in engagement with the platform 10. The threaded rod 18 permits adjustment of the device to function under various weights. Also, by threading the rod 18 downwardly or removing same, the device may be rendered inoperative, if desired. 1

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new as as follows:

A refrigerator of the character described comprising: a cabinet including a hinged, horizontally swingable door and further including a bottom, a base mounted beneath said bottom and projecting forwardly beyond the cabinet beneath the door, a depressible platform yieldingly mounted in the lower portion of the cabinet, a lever pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, for vertical swinging movement in the base, a stop pin mounted on one end portion of said lever and slidably projectible upwardly through the top of the forwardly projecting portion of the base in front of said cabinet and into the path of closing movement of the said door for preventing same from closing, and means operatively connecting the platform to the lever, said means including a headed rod threadedly mounted for vertical adjustment on the other end portion of the lever, said rod extending slidably through the bottom of the cabinet and engaged beneath said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,175 Stevenson Feb. 2, 1909 1,271,363 Ralston July 2, 1918 1,701,302 Griffith Feb. 5, 1929 2,733,090 Coplen Jan. 31, 1956 2,783,722 Fletcher Mar. 5, 1957 2,811,119 Ferdon Oct. 29, 1957 

